the majority are

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the majority are" is correct and can be used in written English.
This phrase can be used to refer to a quantity that is more than half of a group of people or things. For example, "The majority of the students in the class are female."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The majority are women.

The Guardian

The majority are Japanese.

The New York Times

"The majority are contractors...

The Guardian

The majority are charities.

The Guardian

The majority are unskilled migrant workers.

The New York Times

"The majority are financial and corporate executives".

The New York Times

The majority are in the northern hemisphere.

The Economist

These days, the majority are women.

The New Yorker

The majority are from Russia.

The New York Times - Sports

The majority are in Russian.

The New York Times

But the majority are innocent.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the majority are", ensure clarity about the group being referenced. For example, specify "the majority of students are" instead of just "the majority are".

Common error

Avoid using "the majority are" without clearly specifying the group you're referring to. Ambiguity can lead to misinterpretations. Always provide context to ensure your audience understands which group you are discussing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the majority are" functions as a quantifier followed by a verb, indicating that more than half of a specific group shares a particular attribute or condition. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically correct and used in a wide range of contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Academia

5%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the majority are" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that more than half of a group shares a specific characteristic. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and appears frequently across diverse sources, including News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts. When using "the majority are", ensure you clearly define the group being referenced to avoid ambiguity. Although generally neutral, the formality can shift based on the source. Remember to differentiate it from phrases like "most are", which don't necessarily imply over half. While "the majority are" is quite useful, remember it can be replaced by alternatives like "most of them are" or "a large proportion is" for stylistic variation. By following these guidelines, you can confidently incorporate "the majority are" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of them are

Replaces "the majority" with "most of them", indicating a large portion without explicitly stating it's over half.

over half are

More explicit about the quantity, indicating more than 50% of the group.

the greater number are

Similar to "the majority", but uses slightly more formal language.

a large proportion is

Uses "a large proportion" to convey that a significant segment meets a certain condition.

a significant number are

Emphasizes quantity and importance rather than a strict numerical majority.

more than half consist of

Uses an action verb to explicitly indicate the composition of the dominant group.

the bulk is

Focuses on the idea that most of something is a particular thing.

for the most part

Indicates that something is generally true, with exceptions possible.

predominantly

Adverb indicating that something is mainly or mostly the case; affects sentence structure.

largely

Similar to predominantly but with a different word choice, indicating that a situation or condition applies to most cases.

FAQs

How do I use "the majority are" in a sentence?

Use "the majority are" to indicate that more than half of a specific group shares a characteristic or condition. For example, "The majority are students, but some are also working professionals".

What's a more formal alternative to "the majority are"?

A more formal alternative is "a significant number are" or "a large proportion is", which can be used in academic or professional contexts.

Is it always accurate to use "the majority are"?

It's accurate only if more than 50% of the group in question fits the description. If the proportion is close to half, consider using phrases like "nearly half are" or "a significant minority are".

How does "the majority are" differ from "most are"?

"The majority are" implies that more than half of the group is being discussed. "Most are" simply indicates that a large portion is being referenced, which may or may not be over half.